Page 99 of The Wallflower
He releases my shoulders, his huge hand circling my wrist instead. “Come,” he orders, gently tugging me down the hallwayback toward Drew and his father. I must’ve hit my head harder than I thought because nothing about this man, the care of my body, and being safe should ever be used in the same sentence, but that’s how I feel with him by my side. If anything, I should be running in the opposite direction, not letting him lead me back into the lion's den. I know better than to trust someone who is friends with Drew, but this is so out of character for Sebastian that I can’t do anything but follow him and see what happens.
Sebastian walks into the room, his head held high, his eyes blazing, but the rest of his face is impassive, like a prince staring down at his subjects. I use every single inch of willpower in my body not to look at Drew. Each person stands as still as a statue, their eyes bouncing between him and me.
Drew's father is the first to speak, his gaze narrowed to slits.
“Can I help you, Mr. Arturo?”
Letting bravery lead the way I stare up at Sebastian. His hand still grips my wrist, anchoring me to the ground, keeping me sane. I watch him intently as he takes in the scene. Drew, his father, Jackie. All of it in one quick analytical survey. His sharp jaw tenses, and he squares his shoulders as if preparing for war.
When Sebastian doesn’t respond, Drew’s father presses. “Can I help you with something? I didn’t see your grandfather out there.” His gaze ping-pongs back and forth between Sebastian and me, a wrinkle of confusion forming between his brows.
"I’m not here to answer any of your questions. The only one who will be asking anything will be me, and my first question is: who did this?" His voice cuts through the air like a knife. I’m unsure of what he’s talking about until I feel something wet and warm trailing down the back of my neck. I wipe at it with my free hand, and when I pull it back, I notice the streaks of blood on my fingertips. This must’ve happened when I hit my head on the edge of the counter.
My knees threaten to buckle beneath me. The weight of everything suddenly becomes heavier. My body sways, and I’m about to go down, but Sebastian catches my shoulders and adjusts me, keeping me in a vertical position.
Drew chooses then to take a protective step forward, a grimace on his face. He looks like he wants to help, but Sebastian, keeping me upright, shakes his head slowly in warning.
“Whoever did this to her, they’ll pay. Consider this your only fucking warning. If any of you come near her again, I’ll destroy you, piece by fucking piece. I don't care who the hell you are, whether you’re my friend or what your last name is.”
My brain must be fried because it can’t compute what I think it is. Sebastian is sticking up for me, threatening his own friend?
“Sebastian, where is your grandfather? I'm sure we can figure this out together. Our families have been friends for years. You don't even know this girl. It seems a bit irrational to make such rash statements when you haven’t the first clue on who it is you’re defending. That girl is no one. She fell all on her own and probably has nothing more than a concussion.” He lets out an anxious laugh, his gaze sweeping the room.
"You're right." Sebastian's grin resembles that of a shark. "I don't know her, but as of right now, she’s under the protection of the Arturo family.”
Yup, my brain is leaking out my ears because what he's saying doesn't make sense to me. Protection, what does that mean? What the hell is going on?
“Protection? Sebastian, you don’t even know this girl, and what happened here today has nothing to do with you or your family. I think you’ll find this entire thing is being blown completely out of proportion. The girl is simply upset that Drew is moving on.”
"Oh, I’m sure that’s what it is, and perhaps I’d believe you if I didn’t know the real piece of work you are. Don’t fuck with my sister again, or I’ll skin you alive with my own fucking hands. There are few things in this world that I give a fuck about, but I won’t have you disgracing her. Touch her again, and we will have a fucking problem.”
Sister?I’m so confused. I'm still staring up at him, trying to understand the words he’s said when, like a puzzle, the pieces move to align in my brain. The conversations with my mother, the things she said that appeared to be a riddle now make complete sense.
"My mom. Is she… Did she call you?”
Sebastian’s expression softens but only a hair when he looks down at me. “No, she didn’t call me. I only found out the truth an hour ago. I was coming to find you because your mom was admitted to the hospital. They called me after she wrote a note telling them what to do if things took a turn for the worst.”
Took a turn for the worst?
“What…what do you mean? What happened?” I shake my head, backing away, tugging loose from his grasp. None of this is real. It can’t be. Someone please wake me up from this horrible nightmare. It feels like my chest is caving in, every breath more labored than the next. My legs buckle beneath me, and the room spins. I can’t lose her. I can’t.
Sebastian grabs me, his hands gripping firmly onto my arms. I flail, trying to fight him off, but he refuses to let go. “Bel, listen to me,” he growls, and when I continue to struggle, he gives me a shake that rattles my brain back to reality. “I know you’re hurting, and the last thing you want to do is believe another asshole in this room, but I need you to believe me.”
“I can’t believe anything or anyone. I don’t know what’s real or fake anymore.”
Sebastian nods like he understands, and then he grabs me by the back of the neck, his meaty fingers pressing against the pressure points there. “I’m sorry, Bel. I can explain everything later…” He whispers into my ear, and I struggle, but only for a moment when he presses harder, and my vision becomes black. I sink deeper into the darkness, praying when I wake up, this will all have been a nightmare.
Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed part one of Drew and Maybell’s story. Please consider leaving a review on the retailer you purchased your copy from. Part 2: The Wildflower is available for preorder and will release March/April. If you’re looking for something to read in the meantime, check out my other series with similar tropes: Blackthorn Elite, Worse Than Enemies, and North Woods University.